


Confirmation

by MelyndaR



Series: My Ingenious Family series [9]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-05
Updated: 2015-01-04
Packaged: 2018-03-05 11:49:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 3,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3119066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelyndaR/pseuds/MelyndaR
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reid and Leah tell all, Cooley and Hotch actually meet, Morgan puts his heart on the line, and so much more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> As usual, the first chapter is the prologue. This one was taken from "Fairy Paint." The story actually starts in the next chapter.

After a moment of eating in companionable silence, Leah said, "We're going to have to tell them soon, you know."

Spencer sighed. He did know. They'd been very careful not to spill their secret to anyone on the team, but what they hadn't counted on was Leah getting pregnant, with multiples. It was almost to the point of showing, and there was no way Spencer was going to let Hotch or Emily think he'd done anything inappropriate with "their" daughter.

So they had to tell. Very soon.

"I was thinking I could invite the team over for dinner tomorrow, plus Papa John."

Leah's biological dad, John Cooley.

"All right. Tomorrow night."

Leah nodded. It was decided.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should mention that this starts on the jet on the way back from Connecticut.

March 2, 2012

Derek Morgan settled back against his seat in the jet. They were on their way home from a case in Connecticut.

"Anybody want to play truth or dare?" Emily asked.

All the men shook their heads in a very decisive "no", but Leah and JJ took the bait. Derek leaned forward to listen.

"Okay, I'll start." Emily said. Her lips curved in a devious smile and Derek saw the instant that it dawned of Leah that she had agreed to play truth or dare with her mom. "Leah, how old were you when you got your first kiss?"

The girl genius blushed. "Twenty-six."

"Whoa." Emily laughed.

"Wait a second," JJ squealed. "Was it the mistletoe?"

The look on Leah's face told all.

"It was! Spence was your first kiss!"

Emily and JJ fell over in twin fits of giggles and Derek couldn't help but smile.

"You know who Pretty Boy's first kiss was, don't you?" Derek asked.

"Yes, I do. I also know what a hero complex is. Do you know what's used to wipe a hard drive? Or better yet what photo chop is?"

Emily and JJ burst in to peals of laughter at Leah's barely concealed threat. She'd do it too, Derek was sure.

When the girls had recovered, Leah asked JJ, "Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"If you had to marry one of the men on this jet, who would it be? Spencer is all ready spoken for."

"And so is Aaron." Emily reminded.

JJ considered this for a second. "Morgan."

"What! " Derek burst out. "Why me?"

JJ grinned. "Because, between this job and other women, you wouldn't have time for me, which means you wouldn't be around."

The words hit Derek like a flying baseball between the eyes. Hard and painful.

Was that really what the thought of him? Oh no. Was that what Baby Girl, his Baby Girl, thought of him?


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, it's short, but I really wanted to set the tone for where everybody is at.

JJ was the last person off the jet back in Quantico. Caleb Curtis, the stand-in computer tech while a newly-widowed Garcia was on maternity leave, also her boyfriend ever since Will high-tailed it back to New Orleans in December, was standing off to the side of the merry group, watching Henry and his son Danny. Henry was talking to Reid, who was making a silly reference to fairy paint.

Caleb smiled at her when he noticed her coming towards him.

"Howdy." He hugged her, choosing not to kiss her in front of the team.

"Did Henry behave?" Caleb had been having Henry stay with him while the team was away on cases.

"Always. Hey, I was thinking, maybe, since it's so late, we should just take the boys out to eat. It'd be a treat for them. And for me for that matter. I'll pay. Do you want to?"

"That sounds great."

"Great."

Caleb called the boys and they headed to his car. JJ thanked her lucky stars as she walked hand-in-hand with Caleb.

She watched the team. Hotch and Emily went one way, together. Leah and Reid left together. Rossi walked leisurely toward his car, quite possibly happy to have a night for himself, even if the team was meeting for dinner at Leah's the next night. Morgan held JJ's attention, though. He made a beeline for his car, a man on a mission. She wondered: what mission was that?


	4. Chapter 4

Aaron Hotchner drove slowly toward Jessica Brooks' house, where he would pick up his two sons, fourteen year old Declan, whom he had adopted with his girlfriend, Emily Prentiss, on New Year's Eve, and his six year old Jack. Emily sat in the passenger seat, holding his free hand.

"Do you think Reid and Leah are going to tell that their married tomorrow? Or that she's pregnant?" Emily asked.

"I don't know. I hope so. Her condition is s getting obvious. If they don't tell, I'm going to look bad for not saying something."

What Reid and Leah apparently hadn't realized was that copies of legal documents, like marriage certificates, were kept in the agent's profile. Which meant that Hotch had gotten copies not long after they had married. And they didn't know that he knew, or that he had told Emily.

"Aaron Hotchner! You're worried about looking bad?"

"I'm her dad. More or less. JJ's all ready guessed I'm sure. And she probably had Curtis look it up, which means that they probably know. The way Reid has been keeping his eye on Morgan; I'd have to say that he found out somehow, too. At least about part of it."

"So they think that it's a secret, when, really, the only people on our team who don't know are Rossi and Garcia."

"That's my profile."

Emily grinned at him as they pulled into Jessica's drive way.


	5. Chapter 5

Derek Morgan knocked on Garcia's door, with loud, solid strokes.

"Shh." Penelope threw the door open. "Rich is sleeping, and if you wake him up, so help me-"

"I need to talk to you."

She stopped and let him in, concern clouding her face. "Sure. What's wrong?"

"On the jet, the girls played truth or dare and JJ said something that bothered me. She said that between this job and other women, I wouldn't have time for a family, and that I wouldn't be around for them. Is that what you think? That I wouldn't make time for you and Rich? To be there for you? That I would still go after other women?"

"Derek, no. Not at all." She grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the couch beside her. "I know you wouldn't. I know you l-" Her lips trembled at the phrase.

"Love you?"

She nodded. "I know you're better than that."

"Then why won't you take a chance, Baby Girl?"

"You asked me three weeks after Kevin died. I just needed a little more time than that."

"Need _ed_?"

"I want to give us a try, Derek. I think I'm ready now. If the offer still stands?"

"Of course it does." Derek cupped her face in his hands. "It always has for you, Miss Penelope Anne Garcia, and it always will."

He was leaning in for a kiss when the wail of Penelope's two-month-old son, Rich, broke through the silence. Penelope smiled and they leaned away. She stood up and went to get her son. That was okay with him. It still felt right. So very long in coming, and so right.


	6. Chapter 6

He was also worried about Leah's health. He knew that for her to carry all seven of the babies inside of her was life-threatening, and that scared him. The idea of living without her –again – scared him more than staring down the barrel of a gun. He was scared of what the team would think of them for hiding it from them. It wasn't the same as Emily's "death", but the thought crossed his mind all the same.

He sighed and climbed out of bed. He would read in the living room for a while and hopefully that would help him get to sleep.

Fifteen minutes later, Spencer was finishing his second book when Leah stumbled groggily in.

"What are you doing up, Bella?"

"I should ask you that question." She flung herself onto the couch beside him.

"I can't sleep."

"What's wrong?" Her brow knit together and she laid her head on his shoulder.

"I'm scared." It hurt him to admit it out loud. "Maybe we should have listened to your dad."

Leah leapt up to stand in front of him, angry. "And What? Murder our babies?"

"I didn't-"

"My parents tried that with me, Spencer." She said quietly.

That was news on him.

"The only reason I'm even alive is because Mom needed a parent's signature to have it done, she was that young. I have a life, I have a purpose, and so do each and every one of our babies. I'm going for a jog."

She was mad enough to go for a jog at 2 a.m.? That was stupid and impractical and she knew it. She went into their bedroom to change anyway, slamming the door behind her.

Spencer followed her and tried to open the door. It was locked. Where was Morgan when you needed him? Spencer leaned against the doorjamb, at a loss of words.

"Bella…" He implored, using his favorite pet-name for her, Italian for "beautiful". "I didn't mean it. I'm worried about you, that's all. It's almost 2:30 in the morning. We're both tired. I'm sorry, Bella. Please let me in."

Leah opened the door and stood there. "I should have listened. I'm sorry too."

"No more fighting?"

Leah nodded and drew him into the bedroom.


	7. Chapter 7

Aaron Hotchner was surprised by very few things, but the residence he pulled up to that night was one of those things. Leah had said she had moved. She'd told the team this on the jet, when she had invited them all to come over for supper. He'd expected her to at some point. Raising a baby in one-bedroom apartment wasn't practical. So no surprise there.

But this was a rich neighborhood. Not upper-middle-class like his place. This was a Rossi neighborhood. As a matter of fact, this  _was_ Rossi's neighborhood, he realized, getting out of the car. Glancing over the cars, he concluded that everyone save for Rossi was already there. Jack slid his hand into Aaron's and they stepped inside. Hotch wondered who the unfamiliar car in the drive belonged to.

He spotted the man slipping away as soon as he stepped inside. As Jack ran off to explore and/or find Henry and Danny, Hotch saw Emily in the living room eyeing him warily.

 _Be nice,_ she mouthed.

He nodded and went to look around.

The door to a room was partially open. He saw yellow walls and white trim, and seven big boxes. He pushed the door further open and stepped inside.

John Cooley stood on the other side of the room. He had a pocketknife out and was opening one of the identical boxes. Each box contained an unassembled crib, he realized.

"Hi." Dr. Cooley greeted.

Hotch nodded cordially in response. "Who needs seven cribs?" he wondered aloud.

"I was going to put one together for them. I don't really have anything else to do."

"Do you want help?" Hotch offered.

Dr. Cooley looked surprised. "You don't plan to stab me with a screwdriver, do you?"

Hotch did a double-take, meeting Dr. Cooley's eyes. The man was serious, he realized. Hotch couldn't help but smile.

"No. I declare a truce. Agreed?"

Dr. Cooley nodded and they shook on it.

Hotch went and found Reid, asking if there was a couple of screwdrivers he could use. This served a double purpose. He really did need the screwdrivers and the speed with which he located the tools told Hotch that he, too, lived here, or at least never went to his own apartment.

Hotch shared this observation with Dr. Cooley as they took parts out of the box, then said, "I still can't figure out why you need seven cribs, not unless you're having seven babies."

Cooley remained suspiciously silent as he read the directions, until he said at last, "I thought their co-workers didn't know anything about it. They're having everyone here for supper so they can tell."

So Hotch had been right.

He opened a pack of screw saying, "When you have the job we have, it's not so much telling as it is confirming, and that's a rule that can be applied to pretty much anything. Do you know who her doctor is?"

"My partner, Nan Perry."

"Is she good?"

Dr. Cooley grinned. "The second best in the area."

"You never told me how many kids she's having." Hotch pointed out.

"Who, Nan? She's as single as Mother Teresa."

Hotch rolled his eyes, turning his head so Dr. Cooley couldn't see the childish action. "I meant Leah."

Dr. Cooley sobered noticeably. He sighed, motioning to indicate the seven boxes. "One for each baby."

Hotch sat back, feeling as if he'd just been sucker-punched. "But that could kill her."

Dr. Cooley sighed again, heavily. "And she knows that."

"Did anyone mention selective abortion?"

Dr. Cooley snorted. "She did everything but threaten me with my life when Nan and I did."

"She did grow up in a convent, didn't she?"

Dr. Cooley nodded.

"When you get pro-life drilled into you like she must have, it makes sense."

"But she's not Catholic anymore." Dr. Cooley objected.

"It would still be in her mind though."

"Maybe. Yeah, okay."

There was something else he wasn't saying so Hotch gave him a minute to do so. But he wasn't talking and Hotch wasn't pushing.

A smile curved at Hotch's mouth as he said absently, "I've seen some of Emily's yearbook photos."

The comment had the desired affect and Dr. Cooley burst out laughing. "I swear she wore all that makeup an inch thick. She had a tendency to look like a raccoon, don't you think?"

Hotch nodded. That was the exact thought that had come to mind when he'd seen the picture.

Dr. Cooley really wasn't all that bad.

Later, as the duo made their way back from the intended nursery, both were smiling. Talking like old friends.

Hotch was in mid-sentence when Dr. Cooley tilted his head toward the kitchen. Hotch turned to look at what had caught his attention. Emily was watching them curiously from the kitchen.

Both men changed course and headed for her. Hotch wound his arms around her trim waist. She leaned her head back against his shoulder.

"What have you boys been up to?" she asked, aiming for nonchalance.

"Making peace." Hotch told her the truth, also what he knew she wanted to hear. "And a crib."

"True story." Dr. Cooley backed him up when he noticed Emily's skepticism.

Hotch tried to grab an apple slice from the plate on the nearby counter. Emily slapped his hand away.

"No." She rebuked him. "We're going to wait until Rossi decides to poke his very late and ugly mug in the door."

"I heard that!" Rossi informed them, shutting the door behind him.

"In this crowd?" Hotch objected. "How?"

"I have super-sonic hearing." Rossi smirked.

"Now we can eat." Hotch said, trying again for an apple slice. Again he got his hand batted away. "Come on, Em!" he implored.

She shook her head and he decided it was time to employ desperate tactics. He used one arm to pin her against him, moving his fingers to tickle her in the ribs. She shrieked with laughter and tried to squirm away out of his grasp. His unoccupied hand shot out and grabbed the desired food. He took two slices just to get at her. He put one whole slice into his mouth and tossed the other one to Dr. Cooley. Then, and only then, did he let Emily go.

She turned to Dr. Cooley and shrieked, "You told him! You're the only person who knew about that spot! You told him!"

Dr. Cooley grinned like the Cheshire cat, stuck the slice of fruit in his mouth, and loped away.

"We got the better of you." Hotch couldn't help but gloat as Leah asked them all to be quiet for a minute.


	8. Chapter 8

Leah's stomach felt as though there were no less than a dozen knots inside of it as she said, "I know you're all hungry, but before that I, that is, we, have a couple of confessions to make."

"Do you know what happens to him when he confesses?" Hotch asked dryly.

Both Spencer and Leah flinched at the reference to Henkel. Spencer laid a hand on her arm as anger shot through her mid-section, loosening the knots.

She heard herself say, "Fine. You're a profiler. What are we going to say?"

"Here's what I want to know:" Hotch rose to the challenge, crossing his arms over his chest. "How did both geniuses, having IQs in the late one-eighties, miss the fact that copies of certificates like yours would be required in your files? Or that I would tell your mom? Or that your dad would tell the whole story?"

"So you both know?" Spencer asked.

"Yes."

Spencer addressed the room, asking, "Who else knows besides them and Morgan?"

"I had Caleb look it up." JJ admitted.

"And I hacked through the firewall surrounding your medical records," Caleb told Leah. "And told JJ everything."

"They know what?" Garcia burst out. "What am I missing? Am I the only person who doesn't know?"

Rossi shook his head, but no one noticed.

"That I, uh," Spencer started.

"Married me and that I'm pregnant" Leah finished. "With septuplets."

The room went horribly still. Leah held her breath. Her mom was the one to break it.

"You gave it to your doctors good then?"

Leah arched an eyebrow in questioning.

"Over selective abortion?"

Leah's dad burst out laughing.

Leah grinned, anger forgotten. "I think we understand each other now. How's about we leave it at that?"

Emily grinned back at her. "Good for you two. Do you have names picked out?"

"We have a couple in mind, but we aren't going to tell until they're born. Now let's eat!"


	9. Chapter 9

Penelope Garcia took the car seat carrying Rich from Derek back at her apartment later that night.

"Do you want to come in?" Penelope asked. "I just have to give him a bottle and he'll go right to bed."

"Sure." Derek stepped over the threshold and closed the door behind him.

Penelope's thoughts were firmly on her conversation with Derek the previous night. She got Rich out of his car seat.

"Do you want me to get the bottle ready?" Derek asked.

He had become skilled at that, he had helped her so much.

"Why don't you hold Rich. I'll get the bottle."

"Gladly."

He gently took the infant in his hands. They seemed so big in comparison, strong, loving, and safe hands. Nothing like Kevin's.

Penelope went into the kitchen and prepared the bottle.

Standing in the doorway to the living room, knowing Derek hadn't noticed her there yet, she heard him say to her sleeping son, "Little man, I think I've loved your mama forever, ever since I saw the pretty eyes behind those cat's-eye glasses all those years ago.

Your Uncle Reid, I'm gonna teach you how to call him 'Pretty Boy', thought her name was 'Gomez'. I had to call her 'Baby Girl' to get her to attention. All this time I've kept calling her that, hoping she would pay attention and realize how much I've always loved her.

She doesn't look like a 'Gomez', does she? 'Garcia' fits her real well. I'd like it best though if she had 'Morgan' somewhere in her name. That way she could confirm to the world that she's mine, my Baby Girl. What do you think?"

"I think that's a great idea." Penelope made herself known, tears blurring her vision. She loved the two people in this room more than anything in the world. "If you actually meant it?"

Derek's head snapped up. "Of course I did. Every word."

"I don't want a proposal," she felt compelled to say. "Those are scary and make me nervous. But I won't do what Reid and Leah did. I want a real wedding. Soon."

Derek beamed and crossed the room in two strides, kissing her soundly.

"Are we engaged?" he asked against her lips.

"Yeah. I guess we are." She backed up and smiled at him. "It took us long enough. There's one more thing you should know, though: I want more kids, not many more, just one or two, but definitely more."

"Good. I want kids too."

Penelope smiled and handed him Rich's bottle. "You can start Daddy duty right now."


End file.
